Monday, July 14, 2014

The Mikado: Yerrow Face-aru

I love The Mikado. I also love the movie Topsy Turvy, which heavily relies upon music from The Mikado. But there are Asians (and the White Guilt Suicidalists who ruv them), who see both (1 and 2) as examples of evil raaaacism that must be stamped out. There is nothing wrong with their logic, decrying either work as racist. When people portray stereotypes based upon race, that is racism. My personal issue is, I just don't give a damn.

The opera is a fossil from an era when America was as homogeneous as milk, planes did not depart daily for other continents and immigrants did not fuel the economy.

Good fucking God, how many wong statements can you pack into one pompous declaration?

1) The Mikado is British, and America in 1885 was hardly homogenous as milk. In fact, there was more Chinese immigration into America in 1880 and 1890 per decade than there was again until 1970!

2) Planes did not depart daily for other continents. Why is this a criterion for racial sensitivity? Ships departed daily, but not planes - damn those racist steamboats!

3) Immigrants did not fuel the economy? Immigration fuels the 21st century American economy in comparison with immigration fueling the 19th century American industrial revolution? Are you fucking insane? That has to be one of the most idiotic things I have ever heard. Get a clue.

Still she is upset. She doesn't like the idea of White people making fun of Asians. And, as a racist comfortable in my racism, I can admit that is part of what is going on in both productions. However, remove the Japanese caricatures from The Mikado and replace it with any hierarchical monarchic society and the concept would still work. Aztecs, Vikings, Egyptians, Persians, Indians, what difference would it make? The difference would be that Gilbert and Sullivan would not have been tapping into something that was gripping the British public at the time of The Mikado production: fascination with Japan and the Far East. The Mikado was good business.

Argument: But times have changed, you racist! Over a century ago, White people didn't care about offending non-Whites. Now we have to be sensitive, right? Actually, over one hundred years ago, there were still uptight White politically-correct do-gooders who thought censorship would make the world a better place:

Although a Japanese prince visiting London in 1886 was not offended after attending a performance, the Lord Chamberlain banned performances during the visit of another prince in 1907, much to Gilbert’s ire. But, it turns out the prince was disappointed not to be able to see the “notorious” production.

Argument: You don't get it because you're White! Don't get what? There's nothing to get. You're upset because your race is being mocked. I just dont care. I don't think people have a fundamental right not to be offended, because offense is in the eye of the beholder. Further, if you angry chingy-chongs and your White butt-licking suicidalist followers could just reflect for a moment, you might ask yourselves, which does more to denigrate Asians, and direct your ire intelligently: